Severe Falciparum and Vivax Malaria on the Thailand-Myanmar Border: A Review of 1503 Cases.

BACKGROUND: The northwestern border of Thailand is an area of low seasonal malaria transmission. Until recent successful malaria elimination activities, malaria was a major cause of disease and death. Historically the incidences of symptomatic Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax malaria were approximately similar. METHODS: All malaria cases managed in the Shoklo Malaria Research Unit along the Thailand-Myanmar border between 2000 and 2016 were reviewed. RESULTS: There were 80 841 consultations for symptomatic P. vivax and 94 467 for symptomatic P. falciparum malaria. Overall, 4844 (5.1%) patients with P. falciparum malaria were admitted to field hospitals, of whom 66 died, compared with 278 (0.34%) with P. vivax malaria, of whom 4 died (3 had diagnoses of sepsis, so the contribution of malaria to their fatal outcomes is uncertain). Applying the 2015 World Health Organization severe malaria criteria, 68 of 80 841 P. vivax admissions (0.08%) and 1482 of 94 467 P. falciparum admissions (1.6%) were classified as severe. Overall, patients with P. falciparum malaria were 15 (95% confidence interval, 13.2-16.8) times more likely than those with P. vivax malaria to require hospital admission, 19 (14.6-23.8) times more likely to develop severe malaria, and ≥14 (5.1-38.7) times more likely to die. CONCLUSIONS: In this area, both P. falciparum and P. vivax infections were important causes of hospitalization, but life-threatening P. vivax illness was rare.

Retrospective Review of Documentation Practices of Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin, Birth Dose, and Vaccination at the Hospital of Birth, in Thai Nationals and Migrants in Northern Thailand.

BACKGROUND: Vaccination remains the mainstay of prevention of hepatitis B virus (HBV) including birth dose and hepatitis B immunoglobulins (HBIGs). National estimates of vaccination coverage exclude migrants. The objective of this study is to investigate documentation practices of HBV-related infant vaccinations in Northern Thailand including migrants. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of hospital records of women who birthed infants in 2015 at Maharaj Nakorn Hospital, Chiang Mai (CM) or on the Thailand-Myanmar border, Tak. RESULTS: Of 2522 women, 987 were from CM (861 Thai nationals, 126 migrants) and 1535 were from Tak (651 Thai residence and 884 Myanmar residence). In CM, documentation for the birth dose vaccine (999 of 999, 100%) and HBIG was complete. In Tak, documentation was 1441 of 1549 (93%) for birth dose and 26 of 34 (76.5%) for HBIG, with missed opportunities including home delivery, delay in obtaining hepatitis B e-antigen status, and limitations of the records. Expanded Program of Immunization (EPI) documentation of 3 follow-up vaccinations dwindled with subsequent doses and distance, and complete documentation of 3 HBV EPI vaccines at the hospital of birth was low, 41.5% (1056 of 2547), but equitable for Thai or migrant status. CONCLUSIONS: This review provides strong support for excellent documentation of HBIG and birth dose vaccination in urban and rural settings, and in migrants, consistent with Thailand's vaccination policy and practice. Documentation of the 3 HBV EPI at the hospital of birth decreases with sequential doses, especially in families further away. Innovative data linkage is required to prove coverage and identify gaps.

Challenges to primary healthcare services in the management of non-communicable diseases in marginalised populations on the Thailand-Myanmar border: a pilot survey.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are emerging rapidly. This manuscript reports on a pilot survey of NCDs at a primary healthcare level in a marginalised migrant population on the Thailand-Myanmar border in the face of declining rates of malaria. A retrospective audit of routine clinic (2004-2016) and NCD patient survey data (2014-2016) was conducted. The length of follow-up was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. From July 2014 to July 2016, 238 migrant patients were on the NCD register. Hypertension (n = 80) and diabetes mellitus (n = 51) were the most common diagnoses. After the first consultation, 41% (95% confidence interval = 35-47%) were lost to follow-up by 30 days. NCD retention rates were low: 50% of registered patients were lost to follow-up by 80 (95% CI = 49-132) days. After this survey, a novel low-cost insurance scheme for the migrant community has been launched in this area. Development of new schemes involving patients, healthcare providers and funding support are required for improved and sustainable NCD care for marginalised populations.